“Pompey entered the Holy of Holies and was amazed to find only emptiness.”*

Yesterday I started the reading for my next seminary class which is on the Gospels. It was a pretty interesting beginning just because it already seems like a long time since I’ve read about theology in English, its really nice to understand every single word. So much so that my reading has slowed down substantially because I just enjoy the comprehension…

Anyhow, yesterday I was reading and got to this section. In 63 B.C. Pompey took Jerusalem, and even though people locked themselves in the Temple they didn’t last long. The temple priests apparently went on with what they were doing as though it was just a normal day. But then Pompey comes in, and even has the audacity to walk right into the Holy of Holies - the very place that a priest would be struck dead by God if he didn’t enter according to God’s regulations - and nothing.

Zip, zilch, nada. Fascinating really. Especially when you think about the glory of God coming down from heaven into Solomon’s temple in such an awesome way.

I wonder how many non-believers look at our lives. Look at the lives of Christians, get under our skin to see what’s going on inside of us and find emptiness. If your body is a temple to the Lord and someone gets to know you will they find the Lord under there? Or will they be amazed at the emptiness?

Have you made your body a place for the Lord? You cannot justify yourself, you cannot sanctify yourself, but does the Lord live in you or not? Have you asked yourself? If you’re curious take a look at 1 John (especially around vs. 24).

This is the God that we claim is all powerful, awe-inspiring, worthy to be praised, and able to save. But when people come to meet him, they look close because they’re curious if such a God does exist, what do they find?

Just a thought.

*Backgrounds of Early Christianity by Everett Ferguson, third edition (page 412).